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Just realized something else, your hardtop catchers are installed incorrectly (need to be swapped to opposite sides)........................ .............
Strongly suggest getting correct hardware with correct installation first.
Its installed correctly. The flat sides rest against the car and notched portions face inwards.
Just for reference, here's fitment after tightening the top [outward] per instruction from Forbidden. Still have to rework window height and may swap to "camper-style" rear seal to see if I can get some better fitment at the driver's side-you'll see the daylight in one of the pics. Although I'm not sure if I can improve the seal given the space available between the body and top at the window (pic).
huge difference from the previous pics. cr plates would help further, more so with stabilizing the top at speed and over roadbumps. also seals from aftermarket hardtop companies are the worst. definitely give oem seals a try if you can.
huge difference from the previous pics. cr plates would help further, more so with stabilizing the top at speed and over roadbumps. also seals from aftermarket hardtop companies are the worst. definitely give oem seals a try if you can.
Yes, big difference after the sides were, essentially, pulled outward.
I'm guessing it's pricey from any place. Know of a better spot to purchase? Also-it would be a shame to spend more coin on the better seal to end up with the same scenario, thoughts on if it'd help close that gap?
I had the same issue with having a gap at the rear of the top. Replaced the seals supplied with the top (which are utter shit) with the biggest D-shape rubber seal strip I could find on eBay. That, plus mounting the top itself lower in its brackets, fixed the gap for me.
A couple of notes for anyone who may follow this in the future-
I ripped out the "P" style seal that came with the top in favor of a larger "D" style. The seal is much improved though the spacing of the top from the car is more noticeable now. No free lunch I suppose:
Adjustment of the window stop height has been a bust. Here's a snip from the service manual for future reference:
Also-don't be a dummy like me. In order to roll the passenger side window up you need to have the electrical connectors at both door panels connected. This is due to driver's side having the window controller/brains.
Another option for adjustment of the top is with shims, which the OEM top calls out on the following snip from the service manual:
You'll see that "E" refers to max of three 1mm spacers placed between the lock handle and roof. I will give this a go and see if I have any success.
In the meantime I have reached out to two members from this board in the Carolinas asking if they have the capability and interest in helping/attempting to get this car sorted back out as I think I ran out of steam quite a while ago.
01-29-2020, 07:52 AM
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